Dacia has unveiled a brand-new version of the Duster SUV, which now gets hybrid powertrains and extra usefulness
At times the Dacia Duster has been Europe’s best-selling SUV, and now there’s a brand-new third-generation car. When it launches in 2024, the new Duster will bring bold new looks, a couple of electrified engines and some very clever thinking – from how you’ll use the car to partly recycled materials used in its construction.
Despite this, Dacia says that the Duster will still be the most affordable model in its class and will be “the best bargain on the market”. Prices and a release date haven’t been revealed just yet.
New Dacia Duster styling
Straight away, the Duster’s new design will catch your attention. It’s square and squat, with big roof rails and lots of body cladding coming as standard. The grille shows off Dacia’s latest logo – it resembles a chain – and the rear end gets new 3D triangular brake light clusters.
The new Duster has a greater focus on sustainability. The body cladding around the wheel arches and at the bottom of the doors is made from a new Dacia-developed material called Starkle. Showcased on Dacia’s Manifesto concept car, Starkle is made using recycled plastic and has white flecks to give a mottled look. These aren’t painted, both to save costs and to hide scratches and dings. Similarly, the front and rear skid plates are dyed in the production process, not painted afterwards.
Dacia’s environmental push also includes no option of leather or chrome, and even a smaller user manual to save paper.
Engines
The new Duster offers hybrid engines for the first time. Now it’s using the same platform as the Dacia Jogger, the Duster features that car’s Hybrid 140 engine. It couples a 1.6-litre petrol engine with two electric motors (a normal-size one and a small one that acts as a starter-generator) and a complex gearbox. With regenerative braking that slows you down as soon as you step off the accelerator, the hybrid engine is said to be able to drive on electric power for up to 80% of the time around town.
There’s also a 1.2-litre TCe petrol engine with 130hp. It’s different to the 1.3-litre TCe 130 engine in the outgoing Duster; this new engine comes with mild-hybrid tech to slightly reduce emissions and fill gaps when extra power is needed.
As before, Dacia is unique in the UK market by offering a Bi-Fuel engine, which has two tanks – one for petrol and one for LPG. LPG is much cheaper than petrol and, with both tanks filled, you have a theoretical driving range of more than 800 miles.
Four-wheel drive is available again, and 4x4 versions get a Terrain Control system that lets you choose between snow, sand and mud, off-road, eco and auto driving modes. Hill-descent control is fitted to keep you steady on slippery slopes.
Interior and practicality
The new platform has increased rear legroom (by 30mm) and has increased the boot space by 30 litres, now up to 472 litres, all without hugely increasing the size of the car.
There are Y-shape motifs everywhere, matching the design of the headlights, and a sturdy-looking dashboard panel imprinted with ‘Duster’ lettering that almost looks like the dashboard crossbar in a Land Rover Defender.
Three of the four available trim levels come with a 10.1-inch infotainment system, although there are still three different setups, depending on trim level. Mid-spec Expression cars get Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and four speakers, while top-end trims Journey and Extreme get a six-speaker Arkamys 3D sound system and connected built-in sat nav with live traffic updates. Entry-level Essential versions give you control of all major functions from the steering wheel, and there’s a phone holder on the dash – download the Dacia Media Control app and your phone turns into the car’s touchscreen. All versions get this phone holder, but it seems less useful on versions with a fully stocked infotainment system.
If you have a touchscreen, software updates are done over-the-air – like a smartphone – so you don’t have to visit a Dacia dealer.
Specs
Essential trim gets the aforementioned phone holder, plus fixed roof rails, reversing sensors and six airbags. Expression adds alloy wheels, a seven-inch digital driver’s display, the touchscreen and a reversing camera.
Extreme is more rugged, both in look and feel – there’s washable upholstery, rubber floor mats, copper decorative trim and modular roof rails, which can swing across the roof to act as built-in roof bars.
Journey trim isn’t quite so in-your-face-adventure-y, and it’ll cost a similar amount to the Extreme trim. Both these versions get automatic air conditioning, wireless phone charging, keyless start and more.
While Dacia chose not to add many active safety features to the Jogger, it has given the Duster lots of driver assistance tech – such as auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, traffic sign recognition, a driver attention alert and lane-keep assist. However, they’re all contained within the ‘My Safety’ button, which allows you to tailor the systems to your preferences.
Introduced on the Jogger, the new Dacia also offers a Sleep Pack option – a box that turns the Duster into a basic campervan with a double bed, tray table and storage space.
When will I be able to buy the new Dacia Duster at Motorpoint?
We’d expect to see the new Dacia Duster arriving on Motorpoint forecourts in 2025. In the meantime, why not buy a current-shape Duster until the new one is ready?
